Bidirectional rotary push-button switch

ABSTRACT

A multiposition push-button switch having limited bidirectional rotary movement provided by a gear member rotatable in either direction by a pair of independent reciprocally operating push buttons having actuating elements engageable at diametrically opposed tangents to the gear-rotating member.

United States Patent 1191 Heide j Dec. 3, 1974 1 BIDIRECTIONAL ROTARY PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH [75] Inventor: Stanford M. Heide, Kenosha, Wis.

[73} Assignee: Chicago Dynamics Industries, Inc.,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Nov. 21, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 417,714

52 US. 'Cl. 200/156, 74/435 [51] Int. Cl. HOlh 13/58 [58} Field of Search 200/156; 74/435, 575, 578, 74/576, 577; 335/140 3,435,167 3/1969 Pfleger 200/156 3,654,413 4/1972 Jordan et al. 200/156 Primary Examiner-Robert K. Schaefer Assistant Examiner-William J. Smith Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward C. Threedy [5 7] ABSTRACT ;A multiposition push-button switch having limited bidirectional rotary movement provided by a gear member rotatable in either direction by a pair of independent reciprocally operating push buttons having actuating elements engageable at diametrically opposed tangents to the gear-rotating member.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures BIDIRECTIONAL ROTARY PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a multiposition push-button switch having limited bidirectional movement resulting from a gear rotated by a pair of independent push-button actuating levers, with said gear being preformed to provide a pair of missing half teeth diametrically opposed and in relation to the actuating levers of the independent push buttons to function as a limiting means for rotatable movement of the gear in either direction after a predetermined degree of rotation.

The actuating gear, being operatively positioned with respect to the actuating levers of the push buttons so that any desired degree of rotation in either direction may be achieved, results in limited switching function of the switch without replacement, modification, or substitution of any of the remaining components of the switch.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION 3 The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows the preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which:

FlG...l is a front elevational view of the switch;

- FIG. 2 is a side elevational view-of the switch;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view with certain components removed; I

4 wall 33 of the casing 10 and thus effects longitudinal FIG. 4 is a perspective view of all of the switch components in exploded relation one to another;

FIG. 5 is a perspective'view of the actuating elements of the switch;

FIG. 6 is a sectional detail view of the rotatable gear taken through the diameter thereof. As shown in the drawings, the switch comprises a hollow casing 10 and includes a removable side cover 'll'permitting ready access to the interior-of the casing 10; The front wall 12 of the casing 10 providesa -window*l3, through v which aswitch-position indicator is visible, as well as a one end axially extending flat surface portions 22 which project into alike formed center aperture of a gear 23.

The gear 23 provides a plurality of radially extending teeth 24. A, selected pair of these teeth, one of which is shown at 25, is formed of a lesser width than the remaining teeth 24, for a purpose hereinafter made apparent. These half teeth 25 are formed to lie on the diameter of the gear 23 and are formed to be laterally offset with respect to each other as shown in FIG. 6 and, as such, are diametrically opposed to each other.

Within the hollow casing 10 there is mounted an actuating lever 26. This lever 26 (see exploded perspective view, FIG. 4) provides at one end a forked yoke 27 which is adapted to be projected into a cirumferentially extending groove 28 formed adjacent the inner end 29 of the stem portion 30 of the push button 16. The actu- The coil spring 32 has one end seated upon the rear projection of the actuating lever 26 and its associated push button 16 outwardly of the casing 10. The actuating lever 26 provides an inner plate 34 which in turn has formed therein a recess 35 which is adapted to house a substantially U-shaped spring 36 as well as a trip finger'37. The trip finger 37 is provided with a semicircular base portion 38 which is adapted to sit in a like semicircular portion of the recess 35. A second recess 39 formed in the plate 34, housesanother U- shaped spring 40 and stop pin 41. The stop pin 41 provides a semicircular end portion 42 which is adapted to sit in a similarly formed portion of the recess 39. I

To retain the springs 36 and 40 as well as the trip finger '37 and stop pin 41, respectively, in their recesses 35 and 39, a cover sheet 43 is placed over the entire side wall of the plate 34, as shown. I

A second actuating'lever 44 is connected to the push button 17 and is disposed tangentially to the opposite side of the gear 23, as viewed in FIG. 4. To maintain the actuating lever 44 in place within the hollow casing 10, there is provided a half plate 45 which, together with the actuating lever 44, is disposed in spaced relation with respect to the side wall 19.

A separating plate 46v havinga center opening 47 formed therein which is of a size slightly greater than the circumference of the gear 23, is placed 'within the hollow casing 10 so as toseparate the'actuating lever 26 from the actuating lever 44, as seen in FIG..3, and to define a degree-of horizontal offset between the lever 26 and the lever 44. I l

Mounted on the shaft 20 isa switch position ing drum 48 which provides a peripheral flange 49 upon which there appear the switch-position indicia50. 0none side of the drum 48 there" are mounted the switch contact fingers or brushesSl, which are caused to move over circuitry contained o'n'the printed circuit plate 52 (shown in its reverse position in 4, so that i stop pin 41 is engaged with one of the teeth 24 of the gear 23 and prevents rotation of the gear 23 together with the'shaft'20, in a clockwise direction, while the If the push button 16 was forcibly moved inwardly of thecasing 10, the actuating lever 26 wouldmove in a linear path against the action of the spring 32, causing the trip finger 37 to engage one of the teeth 24 of the gear 23 and effect rotation of the gear in a clockwise ating' lever 26 also provides an axially extending post 31 direction. At the same time, the stop pin 41 of the actuating lever 44 will,-aga inst the actio n'of its retaining spring, rideover the crest of the gear'teeth 24 as the gear 23 is rotated in a clockwise-direction.

in operation, if [the operator wishes to advance the switching components, he would depress the push button 16. This will cause rotation of the gear 23 as well as the .drum 48, with resultant movement of the switch fingers 51 over the printed circuits of the plate 52. If the operator wishes to retractfrom the indicated switch position, he would-depress the push button 17, causing counterclockwise rotation of the gear 23 as well as the drum 48.

This function is available in many multipositon rotary switches. However, upon installation of the switch of this invention into an associated device, the require,

ment may be that there is limited bidirectional movement. For example, if the user of this switch desires only a four-position movement in either direction of the drum 48 and switch fingers 51, he would journal the shaft on the pin 18 such that the half tooth 25 of the gear 23 is displaced five positions away (counterclockwise) from rotational contact by the trip finger 37. Thus, when the actuating lever 26 is moved tangentially with respect to the gear 23, its trip finger 37 will engage the first full tooth 24 of the gear 23 and rotate so as to angularly displace the gear 23 through a single switch position. Upon the fifth actuationof the lever 26, its trip finger 37 will pass beyond the half tooth 25, thus limiting the rotation of the gear 23 in that direction.

Such rotation of the gear 23 results in the positioning of the other half tooth 25 of the gear 23 which was disposed diametrically opposite the half tooth 25 with respect to its actuating lever 44, such that the other half tooth 25 has now been displaced five positions and upon the actuation of the lever 44 to reverse the gear 23, the lever 44 will engage four teeth before bypassing the other half tooth 25. By this arrangement, the switch can be advanced'through four positions and retracted through four positions.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the-appended claims.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new-and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

t 1. In a bidirectional rotary push-button switchhaving switch contacts rotatable in either direction through a plurality of switch positions and housed within an opensided hollow case, and a removable side cover. therefor, the combinationcomprising i r a. a'rotatable gear member. having teeth of a predetermined width for rotating said switch contacts in either direction within thecase,

' b. a pair. of operating members diametrically dis- .posed on opposite sides of the axis of said-gear member andlaterally offset with respect to each other and mounted for independent reciprocal linear movement tangentially with respect to said gear member,

c. gear-rotating means carried by each of said operat- 2. In a bidirectional rotary push-button switch as defined by claim 1, wherein said means on said gear member limiting the continuous rotation of the switch contacts comprises selected teeth on said gear member having a width less than that of the remaining teeth so as to be half teeth laterally offset with respect to each other and said offset operating means so as to be out of the line of movement of said gear-rotating means at predetermined switch positions.

3. In a bidirectional rotary push-button switch as defined by claim 1 wherein said gear-rotating means carried by each of said operating members comprises a trip finger yieldably disposed so as to contact one gear tooth of said gear member during its linear movement tangentially with respect thereto and rotate said gear member a predetermined angular distance.

4. in a bidirectional rotary push-button switch as defined by claim 3, wherein said means on said gear member limiting the continuous rotation of the switch contacts, comprises selected teeth on said gear member having a width less than that of the remaining teeth so as to be half teeth laterally offset with respect to each other and to said offset operating means so as to be out of the line of movement of said trip finger of either operating member at predetermined switch positions.

5. In a bidirectional rotary push-button switch as defined by claim 1 including means for supporting said gear member for rotation in either direction, said gear member being removably supported on said supporting means, whereby said limiting means thereon may be positioned relative to said gear-rotatingmeans so that said gear-rotating means can only engage and rotate said gear member and the switch contacts thereon through a limited degree of rotation into and out of a selected number of switch positions.

6. In a bidirectional rotary push-button; switch as defined by claim-4 including means for supporting said gear member for rotation in either direction, said gear member being removably supported on said supporting means, wherebysaid half teeth thereon may be posi- 

1. In a bidirectional rotary push-button switch having switch contacts rotatable in either direction through a plurality of switch positions and housed within an open-sided hollow case, and a removable side cover therefor, the combination comprising a. a rotatable gear member having teeth of a predetermined width for rotating said switch contacts in either direction within the case, b. a pair of operating members diametrically disposed on opposite sides of the axis of said gear member and laterally offset with respect to each other and mounted for independent reciprocal linear movement tangentially with respect to said gear member, c. gear-rotating means carried by each of said operating members independently and alternately engageable with the teeth of said gear member to rotate said switch contacts step-by-step in either direction, and d. means on said gear member limiting the continuous rotation of the switch contacts in either direction beyond a selected number of switch positions.
 2. In a bidirectional rotary push-button switch as defined by claim 1, wherein said means on said gear member limiting the continuous rotation of the switch contacts comprises selected teeth on said gear member having a width less than that of the remaining teeth so as to be half teeth laterally offset with respect to each other and said offset operating means so as to be out of the line of movement of said gear-rotating means at predetermined switch positions.
 3. In a bidirectional rotary push-button switch as defined by claim 1 wherein said gear-rotating means carried by each of said operating members comprises a trip finger yieldably disposed so as to contact one gear tooth of said gear member during its linear movement tangentially with respect thereto and rotate said gear member a predetermined angular distance.
 4. In a bidirectional rotary push-button switch as defined by claim 3, wherein said means on said gear member limiting the continuous rotation of the switch contacts, comprises selected teeth on said gear member having a width less than that of the remaining teeth so as to be half teeth laterally offset with respect to each other and to said offset operating means so as to be out of the line of movement of said trip finger of either operating member at predetermined switch positions.
 5. In a bidirectional rotary push-button switch as defined by claim 1 including means for supporting said gear member for rotation in either direction, said gear member being removably supported on sAid supporting means, whereby said limiting means thereon may be positioned relative to said gear-rotating means so that said gear-rotating means can only engage and rotate said gear member and the switch contacts thereon through a limited degree of rotation into and out of a selected number of switch positions.
 6. In a bidirectional rotary push-button switch as defined by claim 4 including means for supporting said gear member for rotation in either direction, said gear member being removably supported on said supporting means, whereby said half teeth thereon may be positioned relative to said gear-rotating means so that said trip finger of either operating member can only engage and rotate said gear member and the switch contacts thereon through a limited degree of rotation into and out of a selected number of switch positions. 